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• Liverpool defender prepared to adapt for Fabio Capello
• ‘I thank the Wembley crowd for their reception’

Jamie Carragher is happy to be as flexible as possible for England during the World Cup in South Africa this summer. One of the major reasons for Carragher’s international retirement three years ago was his frustration over being repeatedly overlooked to fill one of his favoured centre-half berths when either Rio Ferdinand or John Terry was unavailable.

Instead Carragher either remained on the bench or had to slot in at full-back, a situation which led to growing resentment from the Liverpool player. In deciding to accept Fabio Capello’s offer of an international return, Carragher has been happy to put his reservations aside.

Carragher clearly has huge respect for Capello’s coaching ability, enough to accept making a contribution in any area of the field the Italian thinks is required.

“Centre-back is my best position. I think everyone is aware of that,” said the 32-year-old. “But if you look at the squad maybe the manager does see me playing a different position, which is something I will have to adapt to. Basically, I will just do whatever the manager says.”

Carragher won his 35th cap against Mexico on Monday night as a half-time substitute for Ferdinand, which gave him a chance to partner another old face returning to the England camp, Ledley King.

However, as Capello looks to manipulate his squad, it is as cover for his Liverpool team-mate Glen Johnson at right-back that Carragher’s place in South Africa is likely to be earned.

Capello is also aware he could use the defender on the left side, or even in the holding midfield position that Gareth Barry seems unlikely to fill for the Group C opener against the United States in Rustenburg on 12 June. It seems that particular vacancy will only be open for one game following the positive vibes that came from the scan Barry had on his injured ankle yesterday.

Positive would also be an accurate description of the feeling about Carragher’s chances of being among the 23 names Capello unveils as his World Cup squad on 1 June. After all, there would seem little point in the Italian going out of his way to persuade Carragher to return, only to dump him at the first available opportunity.

Not that the player himself is taking anything for granted. “It’s up to the manager,” reflected Carragher. “There is another game against Japan and another week’s training. After that we will see.”

Carragher has been delighted at the warmth with which he has been invited back into the fold. Part of that is due to his declaration that he would only return if he was not taking anyone’s place which, with Joleon Lescott and Wes Brown both injured at the back end of the season, he has not done.

There seemed little antagonism either from the Wembley crowd over the comments he made in his autobiography, which were more pro-Liverpool than anti-England. “I thank the crowd for their reception,” said Carragher. “As I said before the game I could understand it if they weren’t too happy with my situation but I think they just wanted to get behind the team before the World Cup and send the squad out in good spirits.”

Having made his debut in 1999, Carragher clearly has not been too impressed with some of the decisions made by previous international managers. There are no such worries over Capello. “Every manager has his own ideas and different ways of doing things,” said Carragher. “But Fabio’s track record speaks for itself. Whatever the manager has done through his career it has proved successful. Hopefully it will be that way again.”

Jamie CarragherWorld Cup 2010EnglandWorld Cup 2010 Group CLiverpoolguardian.co.uk

• Barcelona embark on two-day coach journey to fulfil fixture
• MotoGP event in Japan cancelled due to flight restrictions

The volcanic ash cloud has caused large-scale disruption to this week’s sporting events, causing cancellations and forcing teams to take to the roads.

The Champions League semi-final first legs, scheduled for tomorrow and Wednesday, will go ahead, with Barcelona and Lyon embarking on lengthy coach trips.

Barcelona began their journey by bus yesterday, driving 394 miles to Cannes, before this morning travelling the remaining 218 miles to Milan, where they meet Internazionale tomorrow evening.

“The two Uefa Champions League semi-final first legs will go ahead as scheduled this week despite the current restrictions on European air travel,” read a statement on Uefa’s website, which also revealed a decision would be taken “in the coming days” about whether Thursday’s two Europa League semi-finals between Atlético Madrid and Liverpool, and Hamburg and Fulham would go ahead as planned.

Newcastle have also been forced to make the 400-mile journey to Plymouth for tonight’s Championship clash by coach.

The FIM Moto GP World Championship race in Japan on Sunday, meanwhile, has been called off. With the Spanish round at Jerez – a flagship home race for the series’ rights holders, Dorna – due to be staged a week later, there had been fears over teams being stranded in Japan.

A statement from the FIM read: “The recent volcano eruption in Iceland has resulted in an ash cloud cover infiltration. Air traffic space over Europe has stopped all international travel in and out of Europe. This case of ‘force majeure’ has obliged the grand prix permanent bureau to postpone the grand prix of Japan planned on 25 April 2010.”

The final leg of the Diving World Series, due to be staged in Sheffield this week, was rearranged to take place in Veracruz, Mexico, following the conclusion of the second leg there on Saturday.

The Moroccan Golf Classic has been postponed but the Ballantine’s Championship in Korea on the full PGA European Tour is unlikely to be affected, with the majority of players already in Asia after the Volvo China Open.

The Formula One commercial rights holder, Bernie Ecclestone, has no doubts the Spanish grand prix will go ahead on 9 May despite teams fearing their preparations could be hampered.

When asked whether the grand prix could potentially be postponed, Ecclestone said: “No. Not at all. There are no problems with the race.”

The three-day eventer Oliver Townend was today hoping to jet out to Kentucky in a bid to land the Rolex Grand Slam and the £230,000 reward on offer.

Having won at both Badminton and Burghley, the Yorkshireman is chasing the final leg of the slam – and the lucrative prize – in Lexington but is having to do so after a tortuous journey across Europe to avoid the ash cloud.

His trek began in Ellesmere and has taken in Crewe, London and Paris, from where he caught a taxi to Madrid with a view to flying out of the Spanish capital for the United States this afternoon.

MotoGPFormula OneMotor sportBarcelonaChampions LeagueUefa Europa LeagueLiverpoolFulhamNatural disasters and extreme weatherJames Callowguardian.co.uk

• Sources insist no talks have taken place with Ambani or Roy
• Pair linked with majority buyout of Merseyside club

Liverpool have denied that there has been any contact with either of the two Indian businessmen linked with buying a 51% stake in the club.

Liverpool sources insisted there had been no contact whatsoever with either Mukesh Ambani or Subrata Roy who, according to The Times, are willing to pay off the club’s £237m debt in return for a majority stake.

Ambani is India’s wealthiest person with a fortune valued at about $20bn. He is the chairman of India’s Reliance Industries and owns the Mumbai Indians cricket team. Roy, chairman of the Sahara Group, which sponsors the India cricket team, is also a billionaire.

As well as Liverpool’s denial, a spokesman for Ambani has also insisted that he is not interested in taking over at Anfield. “There is no truth to the report. We deny it completely,” said Sudeep Purkayastha, from Reliance.

Tushar Pania, also from Reliance, added: “It’s not true. Nothing in it all. Totally untrue.”

Liverpool’s co-owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett, have been searching for fresh investment for some time but they are not thought to want to sell more than 50% of the club’s shares.

There is also said to be interest from the United States and from a Saudi Arabian consortium.

LiverpoolBusinessSachin Nakraniguardian.co.uk